Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro broke his unusual silence on his electoral defeat on Friday, saying it “hurts my soul.”
Bolsonaro had not spoken publicly since his narrow defeat to left-wing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the hard-fought runoff election on Oct. 30, and has only made one public appearance.
“I was basically silent for 40 days. It hurts, it hurts my soul. I have always been a happy person among you, even risking my life among people,” she said.
After his defeat, thousands of his supporters blocked roads and demonstrated in front of military barracks to ask the army to prevent Lula from taking power.
Brazil’s top electoral authority last month rejected a challenge from Bolsonaro’s party over his electoral defeat and was fined more than $4 million for bringing the case “in bad faith”.
Bolsonaro will remain in office until January 1.
Lula unveiled ministers on key foreign affairs, justice, defense and chief of staff posts on Friday.
Leave a Comment